UN to convene emergency meeting on Russian jet incursions over Estonia

The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to address Russia’s breach of Estonian airspace last week, according to the European Union and the NATO member state.

The meeting follows what Estonia called a “blatant, reckless, and flagrant violation of NATO airspace”, when armed Russian MiG-31 fighter jets intruded into its territory over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes before being intercepted by NATO aircraft, the Estonian Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

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Discussions are expected to focus on the breach of territorial integrity and the violation of the international prohibition on the threat or use of force.

“This incursion into Estonian airspace is yet another dangerous act aimed at escalating regional and global tensions, as Russia — a permanent member of the UN Security Council — continues its war of aggression against Ukraine,” the ministry wrote.

Estonia’s Foreign Minister confirmed that three Russian MiG-31s violated its airspace on Friday, prompting a swift NATO response. “This is a grave and unacceptable provocation. Estonia has requested NATO Article 4 consultations. Our response must be united and firm,” he said. Both Warsaw and Tallinn have invoked NATO’s Article 4 following the latest airspace violations.

The minister said that sustained international pressure on Russia is necessary as it continues its aggression against Ukraine and provocations against NATO allies. He emphasised that the Security Council’s meeting on September 22 is crucial, while also underscoring the need to reform the UN, particularly the Security Council, to strengthen the rules-based global order.

He linked this to advancing climate action with solutions that benefit people worldwide and addressing crises in the Middle East, including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“Russia’s reckless and aggressive actions, and its repeated violations of international law and the principles of the UN Charter, require a strong and united international response,” he said.

This is the first time in more than 30 years that Estonia has requested an emergency Security Council meeting.

Earlier this month, the Council also met after Russian drones breached Polish airspace during a mass attack on Ukraine on September 10. Poland shot down three drones, the first time NATO directly engaged Russian military assets since the war began. The incident triggered NATO’s Eastern Sentry operation to reinforce defenses along its eastern flank.

“As far as Eastern Sentry is concerned, it will begin largely at the southeastern flank of the alliance—Romania, Poland—and then extend through the Baltic states, Finland, and up to Norway’s high north,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb said at the Helsinki Security Forum.

The Polish drone incursion was followed by a series of other airspace violations. Romania reported a breach on September 13, scrambling two F-16s after detecting a Russian drone during an attack on Ukrainian border infrastructure. Poland reported Russian fighter jets entering the security zone around a Baltic Sea drilling platform.

On September 21, NATO scrambled two Eurofighter jets over the Baltic Sea after detecting a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft flying without a filed flight plan.